The Big Picture
The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce (GVCC) is focused on advocating for its members by promoting public policy that benefits its members in the business community. In addition, they offer offer a range of additional benefits, including extended health benefits for entrepreneurs and employees along with member-exclusive discounts that enhanced cost savings. The Chamber also facilitates education and networking opportunities among business leaders through popular events like ‘Business After 5’ and the annual ‘Business Excellence Awards’.
Through local market research our team identified that the GVCC’s predominant brand association was focused on business to business networking which was only a portion of their organisational mandate. These findings prompted a strategic review of their outreach approach. Our recommendations included placing more focus on local leadership, education, and advocacy through PR, social media, and event optimization to maximize impact and align with all organizational objectives. This approach aimed to enhance online presence, SEO performance, and engagement that would drive traffic and improve overall interaction across platforms.
The scope of our work with GVCC included:
- Strategic planning
- Brand Development
- Digital marketing strategy
- Social media engagement strategy
- Video production
- Live streaming production management
Details about this project
Challenge
Due to resource constraints and other factors the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce had primarily focused its efforts in recent years on organizing successful networking events. As a result, many existing members and stakeholders perceived GVCC more as an event coordinator than a leader advocating on their behalf. One of GVCC’s primary goals was to shift public perception of their impact in the community and place greater emphasis on their ongoing advocacy efforts and the benefits these activities provided to its members.
Solution
The GVCC implemented an integrated online communications strategy to enhance outreach and engagement. This included revamping the website to align with new goals ensuring it served as a hub for event information, community updates, and membership opportunities. Board members actively participated in local business events, which contributed content for GVCC’s website and social media channels. Overall, they began to incorporate a tone that was inclusive, fun, and informative.
Digital marketing campaigns on Google, Facebook, and new YouTube videos were employed to target specific audiences, promote events, and drive traffic to the GVCC website. Advocacy efforts focused on educating local businesses about the benefits of chamber support, securing testimonials, and using speaking engagements to highlight GVCC’s role as an advocate at local and provincial levels.
Results
The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce re-positioned itself as a prominent voice for the business community in Vernon, seizing speaking opportunities and engaging in events that would represent member interests effectively. They also developed seminars and workshops crucial for business development and economic growth in Vernon, leveraging member expertise as mentors and collaborators. Partnerships with local education providers helped to enhance program offerings and generated greater value to members, boosting the visibility for GVCC’s brand.
